Isbin Sylvester Giddens was born in Berrien county, Ga. in 1858, a son of Elizabeth Edmondson and William Giddens. “His family is Southern, his paternal grandfather having been a native of North Carolina, and his maternal grandfather of Virginia. His father, William Giddens, was a planter in Georgia, a county judge and a soldier in the Confederate army. His mother, Elizabeth, was also a Georgian by birth. ” Isbin S. Giddens was the youngest of nine sons.

By 1880, Isbin S. Giddens had moved to Manatee County, Florida where he was working as a grocer and living in the household of his brother, Matthew Giddens.

Some time before 1890, Isbin S. Giddens moved to Hillsborough County, FL where he served as county treasurer. He enjoyed great success as a grocery merchant forming his own company, I. S. Giddens & Co., wholesale grocers, of Tampa. In 1900, the Giddens’ home was located on Seventh Avenue in Tampa, FL. By 1905 Isbin S. Giddens had all but retired and, by 1910, moved to the flourishing Hyde Park district of Tampa, where he was engaged as a self-employed real estate broker. Three of his brothers also settled in Tampa, where they were among the prominent citizens of the city: County Commissioner Marcus F. Giddens, Dr. John A. Giddens, a well known dentist, and Henry Clay Giddens, a successful business man.

In 1905, Isbin Giddens made a trip back to the old neighborhood in Berrien County. His visit was reported in The Valdosta Times.

The Valdosta TimesDecember 16, 1905 pg 7

An Old Berrien County Boy.

Mr. I. S. Giddens, a retired capitalist of Tampa, Fla., was in Adel Monday, a guest of his niece Mrs. W.B. Wilkes. Mr. Giddens was reared in Berrien County and went to Tampa when it was hardly as large as Adel. He was treasurer of the county there for fourteen years and made a fortune in the wholesale grocery business. He has a summer home in Monteagle, Tenn., and spends a good deal of the time there. His wife is visiting in Valdosta. Her health has not been good for some time but is now much improved. Mr. Giddens has many friend in Berrien who were glad to see him. -Adel News.Mr. Giddens is a brother of Mrs. J. B. Carter, of Valdosta, and Mrs. Giddens has been a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Carter for a few days.